ALMA, MICHIGAN -- Like most folks in the area, I really looked forward to the grand opening of the Alma Meijer store. Produce is my passion and I would travel to East Lansing and other Meijer stores in order to get fresh organic produce. Fuel, travel time was/and now is again a bit of a pain but worth it to me.

The store opened earlier than advertised and I was one of many smiling bobble heads crossing the threshold. I went straight away to the produce and was extremely surprised and disappointed with their produce department. The Kale was riddled with larva holes, wilted, turning yellow and soaked with water. The cucumbers were moldy and rotted.

I reached out to Meijer with my concerns and I prefaced these concerns by letting them know that I'd never had this happen before in any Meijer store. Along with my concerns I asked that they look into this. I received a prompt and courteous reply from Meijer customer service who stated that she would be forwarding my correspondence to the Alma store directly and that I would be hearing from them directly. To date I have not heard from any Meijer representative.

Assumptions are never very reliable however when one's concerns get dismissed one has to wonder why this happened in the first place. Is this perhaps a demographics issue? Do corporate bean counters determine that country "corn fed" folk won't be as interested in organics as much as our more trendy locations so let's give the Alma store everyone's seconds??? The organic produce I looked at were basically nutrient depleted yet the big fat organic price was fresh as ever.

I think it important to include that I had made just under a dozen trips to the Alma store before stopping altogether. I will be following up with any future developments to include pictures if I find the organics in the same shape as I expect them to be. On the same note.... if my visit finds a produce department fitting of the store's namesake I will update with that information as well.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Advertisement

A Terrible Store

By Chris - 01/26/2015

Rating: 1/51

REYNOLDSBURG, OHIO -- I've had quite a few displeasing interactions with this Meijer. First off, most of the employees look like they hate their jobs and don't want to be there. A few times, I've tried to get service in the electronics department and have had to wait upwards of 20 minutes to get service. My mother was sexually harassed by one of the deli workers. Twice, people in my family have purchased diamond earrings from their jewelry department, only to have the stems break off with minimal amounts of pressure applied. On multiple occasions, I have found mold inside the produce. Twice, it was inside containers of fresh-cut, mixed fruit. Another time it was the entire inside of some fresh broccoli.

Lastly, the store chain really seems to be tightening the reigns, what with a refusal to price-match or accept competitors' coupons. Store security seems to be a hounding presence, with plain-clothes security constantly following customers and "casually" guarding entrances. I get that they want to minimize costs, but the store gives the impression that their goal is to not be competitive, but to keep an incompetent staff and treat the customers like they're not welcome.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Meijer Is Clueless About The Concept Of Customer Service

By krysia - 12/14/2013

Rating: 1/51

NILES, ILLINOIS -- Twice I had to make a return to Meijer & both times I was told, .."well, this time we will give you a refund but, not next time." Instead of apologizing for my inconvenience, they are basically threatening me. When I talked to a manager about it, he wasn't any better. The story of an employee in MI, who was fired because he helped someone put out a fire is another perfect example of how backwards Meijer's management thinks. Instead of rewarding him for going above & beyond for a customer, they fire the man.

The management clearly lacks common sense & is inflexible. That's okay, I will just shop at Walmart that much more. Their prices are better and they always take returns without a hassle. Maybe that's why their stock prices are always high? Take a lesson Meijer. And btw, I have never seen an uglier looking store front, ghastly yellow. It took me a year, to get past that & go in.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Questionable "Accompanied by Gift Receipt" Return Policy

By T. - 06/20/2013

Rating: 2/51

INDIANAPOLIS METRO AREA, INDIANA -- Thanks to all the people who have shared reviews on Meijer Company. In the spirit of fairness, I would like to add my "cents worth." This posting is not meant to disparage the name and reputation of the Meijer company, but is rather to call into question a specific corporate policy that I believe demonstrates frank discourtesy toward the customer.

In general, I have been reasonably pleased with the quality of products and level of service provided by the local stores in my area. However, more recently I have noticed a decline in the quality of the apparel they carry, and am not pleased with their Christmas return policy. My understanding is that when you receive a gift that is accompanied by a store's own original gift receipt, if you return the item with the receipt, the gift receipt has the record of how much the item cost, so that the full dollar amount of the returned item as listed on the receipt would be applied to the item exchanged. Not so at Meijer!

I received a sweater that was purchased at Meijer that needed to be exchanged for the correct size. This was not some frivolous return. I really wanted the item, but as a pre-Christmas sale item, it was out of stock, and would not be in stock. I waited until just a couple of days after Christmas to do the return, because I didn't want to waste so much time standing in line on the day after Christmas just for a single return.

When I brought the item and the receipt to customer service, I was told that it was okay to exchange it for anything else --well and good, so far. Imagine my shock and surprise when brought up something else for the exchange, and the value they credited to the exchange was just barely a couple of bucks! What they didn't immediately know, but I knew at the time was that I had purchased the same sweater for someone else (and during the same sale time as the person who purchased one for me!), so I knew, based on the date of the receipt, how much the item was sold for that week. The gift-giver paid nearly $15 for the item.

When I explained that I knew how much the gift-giver had paid for the item, and that it could be verified by the receipt date, I was told that didn't matter. I was informed that the policy for gift receipts --regardless of the date the item is purchased -- is to give the customer who returns an item the value of the "most recent sale price" on the item. So, when you are talking about something for Christmas, and you return the item after Christmas, you can may expect only a very small fraction of the price paid in return.

What an unjust return policy! Receipts are supposed to not only validate a purchase, but also serve as evidence of price paid! Not so at Meijer. Why even bother to request a gift receipt? So now when I want to buy something for someone else as a gift at a Meijer store, I really think long and hard, and probably more than just twice. If it's someone I know well, who wouldn't be offended to see a price, I'll give them the regular receipt. Otherwise, I try to buy elsewhere.

In fairness to the company, I haven't purchased a gift for someone else at Meijer in many months. I hope that they have updated their gift receipt return policy so that they are in step with other retailers.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Advertisement

People need to stop blaming Meijer for their own fault at times

By TL03 - 09/02/2010

I have been shopping at Meijer for about 5 years and I have to say that I don't have a problem at the store I go to. I like how there are a lot of variety. They live up to their "One stop shopping." I can go there and buy car items, groceries, plants, electronic items, clothes and home essentials without having to go to different stores. I have worked for retail before and I can understand some things can be out of worker and company hands.

I do have to agree that they do need more cashiers and less U-scans (I personally hate those things) just because for one they take jobs away from people. And of course that is what companies are striving for. Their prices are good especially when they have items on clearance!

I have read some of the post on here that are just so ridiculously stupid. One is made because it is possible like he said that he probably hit the pay inside button, OK that is not their fault. Consumers take things way out of hand and don't stop to think that maybe they might have done something wrong or they didn't read the sign or didn't read it properly and they jump down the workers' throats and demand they get it the price they "think" they saw or get it for free. Then later complain that prices are going up.

HMMM well when you have thousands of people who come in and out of the store there are mound to have people who are going to complain or leave perishable items in lanes instead of walking back or handing it to a cashier so they can take it back, the company is going to lose out on that money and of course it is going to affect the prices and when it affects the prices and people don't want to pay the price then the company doesn't make the money and they are losing out on more money and then its affect the workers because now the company have to start cutting hours.

Then people start complaining about not enough workers at the store or hard to find a job, but it is all a chain effect.
So since I have worked in retail I can understand when something goes wrong. And that is fine mistakes are going to be made oh well move on. When I have a problem and I ask one of the workers and they are nervous it upsets me because IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT and it's like they are waiting for someone to yell at them or to call them stupid (which I have seen). And it's NOT right.

And people want to complain about workers are rude or they have an attitude, hmm I wonder where it came from??? I bet one of those customers who do yell at these workers probably wouldn't be talkin' all that crap if that person was not on the clock. You just don't go somewhere and call people the B word or stupid because something didn't work in your favor OR you did something in which you believe wasn't your fault. But like I said I don't have a problem with Meijer nor for any other company I shop at. Like they say you have to be in the other person's shoes to understand it and I have.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Know who your dealing with

By Works - 09/16/2009

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN -- I was once an employee of Meijer and left because I was 8-balled for whistle blowing. I am not a previous disgruntled employee but someone who has a business degree and understands how business works but had to learn through the school of hard knocks how business works for Meijer.

This is not your standard typical company. This company is all about alienating itself to such the extent that the expense it generates by mistreating its own employees and constantly mismanages its own leadership that it cannot afford to provide the basic necessities to create and maintain a pleasurable consumer shopping experience for YOU the consumer! They will not train anyone! Unless of course you truly believe that one can achieve all the necessary training by computer modules.

When something is not right or goes wrong anywhere within a store, the first order of business is to determine where to place blame. Once blame is cast, chaos is then instilled which may very well include a store director or a district director yelling at the employee in the middle of the sales floor while YOU the consumer watches. That would be the standard morale builder that upper management will hope that it brings the employee down enough to either step down or quit.

But if that fails then the employee will be placed under a microscope and management find that one mistake the employee will inevitably make or made 10 years prior and fire them for that. They usually look for things like if he/she were caught that one time shop lifting when they were 15 years old and the records are juvenile and sealed but because he/she didn't reveal that information on their application they will terminate the employee's employment and deny unemployment benefits because they lied from the onset. All this even though he/she is now 45 years old and was turned into a scapegoat over someone's agenda to get the fashion's department in the order they wanted.

So the next time you shop at Meijer and you become disgusted about the conditions or the incorrect pricing or the lack of customer service or the lack of cashiers, think about it! This is how corporate Meijer wants it. You are in their store NOT YOURS! YOU will play by their rules NOT YOURS! EVERYONE will tow the line or there is the door NO EXCEPTIONS including YOU the consumer!

I did not make this up! The examples I wrote were truly examples! Much much worse takes place every single day! If you don't believe, just go to your neighborhood Meijer store and observe for yourself. You will see all this in all its glory at the Wyoming Michigan store. No one is happy and no one wants to be there but then why should they, back stabbing gets old after a while whether giving or receiving. For YOU the consumer, good luck! You may seriously want to consider other alternatives unless of course you support diseased corporate environments of such!

By the way, the survey they ask of you on every receipt over $10.00 is designed to rid itself of whomever they can blame for your complaint. So before you get too detailed about your complaint, think about whose life your going to disrupt as a result of your complaint because honestly, where this company is concerned everything that happens is the dictate from upper management. Everything is done in accordance to a written process, EVERYTHING!

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Relationship Discrimination

By Bunza-Bsk - 05/08/2009

FORT GRATIOT, MICHIGAN -- My boyfriend and I were unfairly discriminated against by a cashier (unknown) and the 2nd Shift manager, on the evening of May 7th, 2009. We were attempting to purchase a bottle of liquor when the cashier informed me that Meijer policy states that all adults purchasing liquor must show ID. When asked if I could return the car and have my boyfriend re-enter to purchase liquor in the interest of preserving the sale, we were ordered to leave. We understand that the cashier was acting in her best interest to protect company policy, but her personal verbal attacks were way out of line.

The cashier made several statements regarding the age difference between myself and my boyfriend (I am 29, he is 45) and referred to him as my "sugar daddy" while on a phone call to bring her manager to the register. Another customer overheard this and was appalled saying aloud "did you hear her? That was extremely rude." Additionally, she took my boyfriend's license and did not return it while she went to the phone and we fear she was taking information for an identity theft scheme, as we saw her remove a pen and paper and write down notes about it while waiting.

Then, when returning his license, she struck an aggressive stance and threw it onto the register in our direction. We asked her not to be so hostile, which only increased her aggression. The manager did little to stop her personal rant on us.

We planned on spending over $500 in this location this weekend alone for an impending Mother's Day Celebration and would have returned the following day to purchase a variety of cooking supplies and products. Additionally, we spend $200-$300 monthly on items like hotdogs for "customer appreciation" for professional functions. Fortunately, there is a Wal-Mart located directly next door to this Meijer, so we will be moving all of our business to these locations instead.

I am appalled by the injustice that was done to us. Having our relationship referred to as being "suspicious" and "inappropriate" by a manager and a cashier simply based on the fact that I look young is discriminatory and offensive.

When we asked if my boyfriend would be allowed to buy liquor with his daughter (a minor) present, we were informed that "was fine because that is his daughter, but because I look old enough to be an adult, I must present ID." What I don't understand is that this "store policy" seems to encourage discriminatory behavior amongst Meijer associates, and does little to prevent minors from obtaining liquor. We understand that these employees were doing their best to follow company policy, but their verbal attacks on our personal situation were unnecessary and wrong.

I have been encouraged by several friends to seek legal counsel for this incident, but I believe that doing so would only encourage more speculation on our healthy romantic relationship, which I am unwilling to do, no matter what type of financial gain I would receive. Some things are more important than money, like values and morals. I pride myself for practicing anti-discriminatory values in my daily life and consequently am glad today to know that I will never cause anyone to feel as violated as I felt on May 7th 2009, when verbally attacked by the staff of the Fort Gratiot Meijer.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Racism At Store #62

By larondaj - 10/28/2008

COLUMBUS, OHIO -- My name is **, and I work for a corporation that provides services to Mentally Challenged Adults. I work in a management position, and was given $1,300 in Meijer's gifts cards, to do start up shopping for 2 new consumers. On October 27, 2008, I went to store #62, and purchased a significant amount of merchandise. I had two carts loaded with needed items for my 2 new consumers. I knew I had not completed the shopping however I'm only one person, and had two carts, so I decided to check out.

I must include, I was followed around the store during my 2 hour shopping trip, however I understood that. Back at the consumer's home, I put away the belongings, and headed back to Meijer, to complete the shopping. I spent another 11/2 hours, shopping, and being followed around the store. Upon checking out, once the receipt printed, this Barbie doll looking woman, came to me and said "may I see your Identification", I ask her "for what?" She didn't respond.

She then ask me to give her my receipt, to which I asked "why?" She explained "I received an alert from my office", she went on to look at my receipt and ask me "why are you spending gift cards to purchase gift cards?" I told her "come on woman, you're harassing me, you have my receipt in hand, and you look like an intelligent woman, nowhere on that receipt does it show, that I'm using gift cards to buy gift cards".

She then ask me to see the credit card with which I purchased the gift cards. I told her "hell no' I said you are harassing me because I'm black and spent $1,100 dollars at this store, this is absurd." She at that point said "I'm not harassing you, as you have done nothing wrong." I responded, "then why the hell are you in front of me demanding to see my Identification, the receipt, and the credit card?" Once again, she replied "I got an alert from my office." I took my items and left, feeling much like a criminal, as other shoppers had stopped to look at this woman's demands on me.

I feel if I were a white woman, who shopped at Meijer and spent $1,100 dollars, I would have walked out of the door with no problems. One employee who worked their also ask me was I a career shopper. I was totally harassed throughout my time spent at Meijer, as one associate came to me while I was shopping to ask me was I interested in purchasing some Meijer photos. I told her no, however I did ask to be directed to the floral department.

This particular Meijer is close to the neighborhood in which I live, as I am a homeowner who owns a home in Forest Park. Because of my ties to this community in which I'm very active, I have decided to raise awareness to the black community in regards to shopping at Meijer store # 62. I have also e-mailed channel 4,6, and 10 in regard to this senseless act of being black while shopping at Meijer. This should not be allowed to happen to any other African American, and as I long as I have breath in me, I'm going to make damn sure it doesn't happen again.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

Advertisement

Meijer from both points of view.

By Sarah - 12/24/2010

I have read many reviews criticizing Meijer from a consumer point of view. Much of this is entitled customer rubbish, where people fail to read signs (thus they claim to be overcharged because they pick up a 30 oz bottle instead of a 10 oz), use the self check out fast lanes when they do not have the knowledge or patience to learn how to do so, and go shopping at midnight and expect the same kind of service as during the day. There is a delusion that just because you have a dollar, that you OWN the people who work there.

This is wrong. It is not moral. Meijer like all big-box stores is a direct result of how Americans have chosen to spend their money. YOU wanted bigger, faster, cheaper. You got sprawl, u-scans, and Chinese lead-laden garbage, and overworked underpaid employees who are working their hardest just to make ends.

What I have learned as a customer and an employee of Meijer is that the customer is NOT always right. People must go home at some decent hour. Watching people on Christmas eve whine like children about how the store closes at 7 pm is disgusting. These people have families and work hard. I have had customers throw potatoes at me, threaten to hit me, and swipe at me with their hands, not to mention lie repeatedly.

I believe in a society of mutual respect and conduct. I have always acted in this manner while shopping, returning my cart myself, not using plastic bags, saying "please" and "thank you" no matter what, not using the u-scan when I knew I would need help, and NEVER heckling of whining at hard working people. Meijer is a family owned store. Its employees are union members. When you shop at Walmart or Target and pinch pennies, what you fail to realize is that Meijer helps its employees, all who works over 12 hours to have healthcare, instead of pushing it off on the government welfare like other corps.

Coupons are often an issue. In college, I found that making a list (and yes, shopping at my local Meijer) and sticking to it, without coupons was always far cheaper than what other girls in my building did with chasing sales and clipping coupons. These are advertising tactics that get you to buy what you don't need. I personally wish Meijer would do away with them, and just lower prices overall. Coupons are made by many different vendors and often do not work correctly. Be patient and courteous with your cashier when you hand them a wad.

I agree that it has gotten too big, but as I mentioned above this is a direct result of us demanding bigger, better, faster, cheaper. If you have at u-scans, don't use them. (and I'd like to dispel the rumor that they take away jobs. they create many higher paid tech and production jobs and are constantly monitored.)

My experience has lead me to believe that the general American consumer does not understand how to get what they want, and how to express their opinions in a productive matter. Logic tells us that if you dislike something you want it to be fixed, yes? But the current approach does the total opposite. Don't buy foreign products if you don't like them. Don't shop at anti-union stores if you are tired of corporations beating on working people, and forcing us to pay for what they should in taxes. And if you have a problem with a store, don't shop there and write a clear, respectful letter, maybe a few times even to the company.

Abusing employees only decreases your level of service. Shop at decent hours of the day. Spend time with your family, and just stop rushing so much. We really don't need more stuff. What we need is peace of mind, community, and passion in life.

Helpful?YesNoReplies

Review Link:

"Fake" ID

By julieb123 - 06/16/2010

CARMEL, INDIANA -- I have been shopping at Meijer in Carmel, IN for years and more recently going there weekly for odd grocery items and liquor. After March 2010, Indiana passed a new law where everyone is carded no matter their age if they are purchasing liquor at a store. My boyfriend and I are both 24 years old, get carded frequently, but have never been denied alcohol because our licenses are valid until 2013. He has the old IN state driver's license though, which has seen better days, while I have the shiny, bright new one.

Until several weeks ago, Meijer employees never seemed to notice a difference between our IDs and allowed us to spend 100s of dollars in alcohol and groceries without a peep. This changed when my boyfriend was checking out and the cashier said his license was invalid. He explained that he used it almost daily at their store with no issue and she called for her manager. The woman who came over was extremely rude about this, exclaiming that his ID wasn't real and he could not purchase his alcohol. We went back in later that evening and used his ID to buy the same bottle of alcohol with no problem but were baffled by her behavior.

Today, my boyfriend went in to buy a couple of items, was carded again with no problem but left his credit card at home. He came back to Meijer to pick up his items in the Customer Service area and the same team leader was back there checking people out. Coincidentally, she would not let him purchase his alcohol, claiming his ID was fake again even though fifteen minutes earlier he was old enough to buy it.

I heard about this recurring issue with the woman and called the store to speak with the director. He told me the team leader had no right to turn a customer down simply because she 'thinks' an ID is fake but rather must type the ID number in the system. I've never seen her do this before. The director said to ask for him the next time we made a purchase and had an issue with her so he could address it properly.

My boyfriend went in later that evening to purchase his items behind Customer Service and before he could ask for the store director, the team leader denied him and exclaimed that she was the one he spoke to. I contacted the corporate office via email and will be calling them during regular business hours tomorrow. I am so upset that I printed out my bank statement to illustrate just how much money I spend at Meijer a month. It's pathetic, but I have spent almost $1000 at Meijer and that is just on myself!